


Kissing Strangers

by pasdexcuses



Category: Crooked Media RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 03:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15699570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pasdexcuses/pseuds/pasdexcuses
Summary: This is definitely the stupidest thing Tommy’s ever done for cash.





	Kissing Strangers

The girl behind the camera adjusts her lens before counting down from three. “‘Kay, what’s your name?” 

“Thomas Vietor.”

“And what are you doing today?”

“I, um,” Tommy starts, already blushing. “I’m going to be kissing a stranger.”

“Awesome,” she says, clicking a button on her camera. “Follow me.” 

Tommy follows her into a second white room, where another camera is waiting for him. Any second now and a stranger will be walking in. A stranger Tommy will have to kiss, and this is definitely the stupidest thing he’s ever done for cash. He’s rapidly regretting all decisions that led him here and coming to the conclusion that he could always walk out and starve himself for a week. But then a guy walks in, and Tommy’s stomach drops.

“You’re staring,” the guy says, and Tommy can’t tell if he looks offended or curious. 

“I, uh,” Tommy tries, mouth dry.

“I’m Lovett,” the guys says, hands firmly in his pockets.

“Tommy,” Tommy says. 

They stand awkwardly until Lovett breaks the silence. “So…How should we do this?”

“I don’t know,” Tommy replies. “I’ve never done this before.”

Lovett tilts his head to the side, “Done what? Kiss a stranger? Because you know, those random hookups at the frat parties you undoubtedly attend totally count as making out with strangers.”

It wrenches a laugh from Tommy’s chest, a rippling wave that makes him feel this is okay. “Should I be offended I’m immediately labeled as frat guy?”

Lovett shrugs. “Should I be offended I’m immediately labeled as a Jewish nerd?”

“I didn’t say you were a Jewish nerd.”

“No,” Lovett agrees. “But you were probably thinking it.”

“No, I wasn’t. I was—” Tommy stops himself before he can say anything more incriminating, but the damage is done. Lovett is already narrowing his eyes at him, and Tommy has the distinct feeling he will not let this go.

“You were what?”

Tommy feels his cheeks warm, knows he’s blushing past the collar of his shirt as he shakes his head. “Nothing,” he lies. “Nothing, it doesn’t matter. Should we, um, should we just…?”

Lovett stares at him for a second too long before saying, “I could refuse you know.” Folding his arms over his chest, he adds, “I could refuse to do anything until you tell me what you were thinking.”

“C’mon dude.”

“‘C’mon dude!’” Lovett parrots, except he’s wildly exaggerating Tommy’s Boston accent. 

“Jesus Christ,” Tommy starts, chuckling. “Just—” It’s a moment of impulsiveness and little thought, but that’s all it takes for him to take a step closer to Lovett, a hand around Lovett’s waist. 

By the time he realizes what he’s doing, what he’s already _done_ , Lovett is staring up at him, pupils blown. 

“So, um, what now?” Lovett asks.

“I think, um,” Tommy says, heart drumming in his ears. He’s trying to find the words, but Lovett beats him to it, rolling his eyes, “For fuck’s sake, just kiss me.”

Nodding, Tommy leans down, eyes closed. He presses his mouth to Lovett’s hesitantly, with no real intention to do more than brush their lips together. Except Lovett opens up his mouth, lips curving up to a smile as he grabs the back of Tommy’s neck, and Tommy is losing himself in the moment. 

He’s kissing Lovett now, properly, his hand wandering past Lovett’s waist. Then Lovett sucks on Tommy’s bottom lip, grabbing Tommy’s ass and making Tommy groan. 

“Hope the mics caught that,” Lovett says against Tommy’s mouth, giggling a little. 

There’s a part of Tommy’s brain that briefly registers the possibility of himself groaning on camera. A part that is quickly drowned and forgotten as he opens his eyes and sees Lovett, lips puffed. 

“Shut up and kiss me,” Tommy whispers against the side of Lovett’s mouth.

Tommy doesn’t know how long they stand there, but it’s long enough to leave him breathless and blushing. 

“That was, um—” Lovett starts to say when they break apart. 

He doesn’t go on, but Tommy gets it and he can’t stop smiling. “Yeah.”

“Okay,” Lovett says slowly, and for the first time Tommy can see the faintest pink spreading from his nose. “It was nice meeting you.”

“Ye—yeah,” Tommy says, not sure where to go from here, except he doesn’t want Lovett to go. “You, um, you too.”

“I—uh, I have to get to class. So. See you around campus, I guess?”

“Right.” 

“Thanks guys!” The girl behind the camera pipes up, giving them two thumbs up. “That was awesome!”

Then Lovett is walking away, and Tommy’s pulse stumbles. He doesn’t know what he’s doing or why, but he follows after him. He’s walking, walking fast and faster, breaking into a run the second he spots the back Lovett’s head. 

“Hey, Lovett!” Tommy calls out.

When Lovett stops and turns, Tommy feels like his heart leaps into his throat. He scratches the back of his neck, avoiding Lovett’s eyes as he tries to take a deep breath to brace himself. Because he wants to—he doesn’t think this should be it. He wants—he wants _more_ is the thing, and he’s trying to find the words, the right words, the best words.

“Listen,” Tommy starts, swallowing. “I—”

But before he can get his words out, Lovett cuts him off, “It’s fine.” He shrugs, hands in his pockets as he avoids looking in Tommy’s general direction. “Kissing—it doesn’t mean anything. It’s—platonic, whatever.”

All Tommy can say is, “Oh.”

“It doesn’t mean you’re gay,” Lovett continues, evenly and calm. The exact opposite of how Tommy is feeling right now.

“I—”

“It’s fine,” Lovett insists, and Tommy—It’s the first time he’s done this. Kiss a guy. He doesn’t know how this story goes. Doesn’t know how to take things from here, how to ask. 

Then Tommy catches the look on Lovett’s face. The way his mouth is set. The way his shoulders are hunched, uncomfortable. It makes Tommy force himself to take a deep breath. 

He may be a frat guy, but he’s not an asshole who can’t hear the word ‘no.’ Besides, Lovett is right. Kissing—it doesn’t have mean anything. 

He says, “See you around campus, man.”

For a second, Lovett looks like he’s about to say something else. But he doesn’t, and Tommy watches him walk away.


End file.
